The $2096 fuel card bill that could bring down the Victorian government has been detailed in a Melbourne court.

Victorian independent MP
Geoff Shaw
appeared in the Melbourne ­Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to face 23 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of misconduct in public office.

If convicted, Mr Shaw would forfeit his seat in Parliament, which he won as a Liberal candidate. The Napthine Coalition government depends on his vote to pass legislation, so a byelection in Mr Shaw’s seat could spark the downfall of the administration.

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His lawyers indicated Mr Shaw would apply for summary judgment in the case, which relates to the alleged misuse of his parliamentary car, meaning it would be heard by a judge only, without a jury.

If successful the application would likely expedite the case and also cut the maximum penalty compared with a full jury trial.

The prosecution signalled it did yet have a position on the summary application. It is the same approach taken by former Labor federal MP
Craig Thomson
in defending charges relating to alleged misuse of a union credit card.

Mr Shaw declined to comment outside the court but has steadfastly maintained his innocence.

His lawyer
Quinn McCormack
told reporters Mr Shaw was entitled to a fair trial by the “rule of law, not the rule of media opinion".

She added: “He is entitled to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence."

Mr Shaw has repaid some money to Parliament. The former Liberal MP is also still the subject of a Parliament privileges committee investigation.

Premier
Denis Napthine
said it would be inappropriate for him to comment now. “That is a matter for the courts and Mr Shaw," he said.